Latest Recruitment at International Potato Center

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a dynamic, proactive, and experienced Food Science, Business Technology Officer for the anticipated Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Project. Recruitment is contingent upon successful award of the project and the selection of final applicant is subject to donor approval. The selected candidate will be a “Specialist” according CIP’s internal structure. She/He will coordinate technology transfer on Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) as part of the TAAT program.

The Position: The Value Chain Technology Transfer Officer will provide business and processing technology technical skills in the Orange Flesh Sweetpotato Value Chain Compact. The officer will work with private sector partners interested in adopting OFSP into their processing business. The candidate will also identify new businesses interested in setting up OFSP-based production units as a business. Therefore, the candidate should possess prior experience in business management to work with the businesses by impacting sound business management. The position requires supply chain management skills to ensure that OFSP roots production and supply to businesses is managed efficiently. The position will be based in one of the participating countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and will report to the TAAT OFSP Value Chain Specialist.

The Project: The TAAT program has been initiated by the African Development Bank (AfDB) as part of its Feed Africa Initiative with support from additional donors. The main objective is to harness high-impact agricultural technologies for raising agricultural productivity, mitigating risks, and promoting diversification and post-harvest investment across selected agricultural commodity chains. OFSP has been selected due to its high potential for improving nutrition in the continent and its strong growth prospects in the commercial food processing sector. The OFSP Commodity Technology Delivery Compact (CTDC) will include a range of private sector partners and public sector extension services to deliver technologies, training, and access to services to stakeholders along the value chain, from production to processing and marketing. It will be coordinated by CIP and link with the strong network of research and development programs implemented by CIP and partners in over 10 African countries.

Key responsibilities:

• Coordinate the development of TAAT technologies adoption work plans in each country.
• Together with country leaders and Value Chain Specialist, assist in the identification of business partners in each country in which TAAT will be implemented.
• Provide expertise necessary for successful implementation of value chain compact activities, in close collaboration with country value chain implementation teams.
• Assist in the preparation of food technology outreach campaigns in each country of implementation.
• Provide expertise in approaches necessary to deploy technologies, according to the defined target areas, mobilizing all actors across the value chain.
• Facilitate the implementation of the value chain activities in all target countries and participate in the monitoring of progress made towards achieving value chain and TAAT-set goals.
• Provide technical and business support to all value chain public and private sector partners in each participating country and ensure that they are fully and actively engaged.
• Work with Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) to ensure that capacity is built in all needed areas for various stakeholders within the value chain.
• Work with young Agripreneurs in each country of implementation through demonstration and training, in close collaboration with the ENABLE-TAAT Compact.
• Ensure that quarterly and annual consolidated technical and financial reports for the Compact are prepared and submitted to the value chain coordinator office on schedule.
• Carry out any other duties as may be assigned by the Value Chain Specialist and/or Institutional Management Office to meet the objectives of the value chain.

What we are looking for?

• Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Marketing, Business Administration, Food Technology, Supply Chain Management, or a closely related field to the value chain.
• Minimum of 5-6 years of professional work experience, with at least 1 year of experience in value chain development or products development, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Relevant work experience in agribusiness management, agriprocessing, supply chain management (experience with projects that link farmers to the market will be an added advantage).
• Work experience in product development at the industrial level will be an added advantage.
• Experience in projects involved in public-private partnerships.
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English. In addition, good working knowledge of French is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to write, publish, and disseminate technical reports, success stories, and promotional materials.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, and multi-cultural environment.

Why should you consider this opportunity?

• CIP is a global and reputable international organization with a strong, state-of-the-art R&D background, and has recently been awarded the World Food Price and the Al-Sumait Award for our Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato work in Africa.
• CIP is dedicated to achieving food security, improved nutrition and well-being, and gender equality for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world.
• CIP is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a network of 15 research centers, that are mostly located in the developing world and supported by more than 50 donor members.

What are we offering?

• Great career opportunity in an international organization.
• Nationally competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• One-year term contract with the possibility of renewal.
• Work in an equal and diverse workplace.